Knife sharpener



ch. 1, 1949. s. TARAPCZYNSKI 2,460,552

KNIFE SHARP'ENER Filed May 22, 1947 ,6"; firapcz yras'ki INYENTOR BY m.

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 1, 1949 UNRT t K I ARPENERZ Sigmund-Tarapczynski, Niagara'Falls, N. Y; Applicationlviay 2 2 1947, Serial Nana-s20.

h sm eh n re es. t devices for h p i Knives nd h e. and more r i lar y has ei enc to a evice 1," he char cte ta edembodyins the eet p nra t r a a le s n s. hat ar m ble ntonos t n e ati e to each other to grind abrasively the sides otacutting ed e of. a Knife blad he p mary o ect o the. in en ion is to P vicle a i i -sharneh ne d v ce of this. t p wherein weary of, the abrasive surtaces, of the stones. may be evenly distributed around the entire outer surfaces,

Another important, object of the invention is to provide a, device of thecharacter statedthat will be capable of unusually. inexpensive constr c-v tion, and 'whichwill yetbe of'extrerne durability and unusual operatingefiiciency.

Another importantobjeet of the invention is 'to provide a knife-sharpening device in which the stones are. capable of removal. from their holder withunnsual ease, in the; event. a replacement bec me ne eswrti I I With thefore qing and other. objectsv in view which will appear the description, proceeds, the invention consists-v of certain, novel details; of ons ruction nd a ns. a ts he ina-i r II JQ Q 1113)? 1$ b 81h DQ h 6Q u nthe draw heait being under o hat chan es ma e made: n h tQhst andv a e en of t s. With ut.- aeratin h'qm th rsmrttoi the B .lheto he. raw n Fi ur 1 s a p ve ra p eferred embodiment; of the invention, with the parts thereof in operating position to sharpen the blade of a knife held therebetween.

Figure 2 is a view partly in side. elevation and partly in vertical section, withparts, broken away, and showing a modified form of holder.

Figure 315 a cross-sectional viewtaken through a modified form of stone.

Referring to the drawing indetail, the; reference character 5 refers; generally to one tor-tn of holder or handle, shown in Figural. This may be formed from a single length of material, of resilient quality, and comprises opposed stonehold naarms, fiend! ntesr llr-ioined byacurved connecting end portion 8. In the position in which the arms 6 and I are illustrated in Figure 1, they are shown as being inclined toward each other, this being their operating position, whereby to bring sharpening stones held thereon into crossed relation. However, normally the arms 6 and l are spaced from each other in parallel relation by reason of the inherently resilient quality of the material used, however, they may both-he gripped in one hand of the user andbrought to the position illustrated. When the sharpening operation is completed; it is seen that their connetting n p i n 8; be g n i h held' un er com res i l" a om t ally return hem. to t i -n ma posi i ns- 1 T rm 6 h er i e gth. pr ie abl than the. arm I, and carries on its free end the, cross bar 9. h v n uptu ed ends 10" hat are p rallel to each other and to the arm 5?.

Referring, now to Figure 2', there is there,v illus,-. trated a modified form, oi'holder which is especially adapted to. be formed. from. material not possessing the resilient, qualities. of the material used. in the form described. above. In this em: bodiment of the holderg. the. arms. It and l.2 ..are of the sameconformation as the. arms, 6 and. 1., the arm l2. carrying across, bar having upturned parallel ends it. The arms ll and. 1:2 normally are spaced from each other in parallel, relation, asv shown, but have curved, end portions l4 and 55 respectively provided with inter-fitting ears l6 and 11, connected the pivot 8.-. Thus, it isyseen that althoughno resilient. materials are used, the arms. it and i2. may be g -rippedanel brought towa d ea h other tor: the: QWPQSE: o performing sta v-sha neniheope a ions.

1h he h he upturhedehd 0 the cr ar. n -th t eeeh Q th onnes da m, have mountedtherein elongatedrqds lil whi i i-prefer? abl f rme -at he; re ehdsw hheadszt. These a be s tably m unted he-.ho der' o a o. be; immo able e a ive. o e h ld s b e provision of threaded ends 2|, on"; the. rods." [9 en a ed n c rr spo din lyth eaded: openings in theholder. Obviously; othermeans for effecting hezdesiredzmountin couldbe used, andiwoul'd be well-within-the spirit. of theinvention as claimed.

Rotatablycarried: by therods: t9 are el'ongated sharpening, stones 22,, which in the; embodiment thereof illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; are of cylindrical formation. and: are; formed: of: a. suit.- able abrasive material. Washers Here-preferahly 'interposed between the heads 20 ot the rods I9 and the adjacent ends of the stones 2-2; for the purpose of permitting easier rotation thereof.

Interposed between the other ends of the stones 22 and the ends of the holder are flat rings 24, which also perform the function of washers, in addition to performing another function to be described immediately hereinafter.

The rings 24 are integrally formed with projecting marginal portions 25, respectively formed with openings to receive the ends of a plurality of chains 26 or like connecting means having the same flexible qualities. The other ends of the chains 26 are joined intermediate the stones by means of a ring 21.

These serve the purpose of preventing outward movement of the stones 22 and the arms of the holder beyond a point at which said members will be parallel, or substantially so, to each other.

In Figure 3, I have shown a modified stone construction, in which the stone 28 is not cylindrical in cross-section as are the stones 22, but rather is of square formation, having fiat faces '2 9 equal in Width to each other. In this embodiment, the stones 23 are also rotatable on the rods I9.

In operation of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, the rods [9 may be adjusted relative to the arms of the holder, whereby to permit either a fully free rotation of the stones 22, limited rotation thereof, or no rotation. Preferably, however, the stones 22 are permitted to revolve freely on the rods [9. The arms of the holder are then gripped in the hand of the user, the other hand holding a knife having a blade B. The blade B is then interposed between the stones, preferably with the cutting edge thereof turned upwardly, as shown clearly in Figure 1. The arms of the holder are then compressed by the user, so that the stones will assume a crossed relation, with one stone being interposed between the opposed stones. The knife is then moved forwardly and rearwardly, and as it is so moved, it will rotate one of the stones in one direction, while the other stones are rotated in an opposite direction. A certain amount of resistance to rotation will result by reason of the angular relation of the stones to the blade of the knife and to each other, whereby the desired abrasive action on the cutting edge will be effected.

At the same time, however, while a fully abrasive action results from the construction and arrangement described, the stones'are being continually turned so as to present a fresh abrasive surface to the cuttin edge. In this way, not only is wear on the stones 22 evenly distributed, but also, a better sharpening action is provided.

Obviously, the entire length of the abrasive surfaces of the stones can be used, by varying the compressibility of the grip of the user on the arms of the holder, and thereby positioning the blade-receiving notch formed by the crossed stones at diiferent points between the ends of the stones, as desired.

In use of stones formed as illustrated in Figure 3, the stones 28 freely rotate on the rods I9. However, when they are crossed for sharpening operations, only one face 29 of each stone is used. In subsequent sharpening operations, the stones 28 may be turned on the rods l9 so as to present a difierent face 29. Thus, four sharpening faces are utilized in each stone, in turn.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for sharpening knives, comprising a holder having opposed arms normally disposed ins d relation, rods constituting extensions of 4 the respective arms and threadedly connected at one end to said arms, relatively elongated sharpening stones rotatably mounted on the rods, the stones being normally spaced apart when the arms are in-normal position, means for inclinin the stone-holding ends of the arms toward each other, whereby to cross the stones in angular relation, and a flexible connection extending between the arms, whereby to limit outward movement thereof beyond their normal positions.

2. A device for sharpening knives, comprising a holder having opposed arms normally disposed in spaced relation, rods constituting extensions of the respective arms and threadedly connected at one end to said arms, relatively elongated cylindrical sharpening stones rotatably carried by the rods, said threaded connections comprising means for adjusting the freedom of rotation of the stones, means for inclining the arms toward each other, whereby tocross the stones in angular relation, and a flexible connection extended between the arms, whereby to limit outward movement thereof beyond their normal positions, said rotatable mounting of the stones adapted to impart rotation thereto on reciprocation of a blade between the crossed stones.

3. A device for sharpening knives, comprising a holder having opposed arms normally disposed in spaced relation, rods constituting extensions of the respective arms and threadedly connected at one end to said arms, relatively elongated sharpening stones rotatably carried by the rods, said threaded connections comprising means for adjusting of the freedom of rotation of the stones, means for inclining the arms toward each other, whereby to cross the stones in angular relation, and a flexible connection extending between the arms, and adapted to prevent movement of the arms outwardly beyond a normal position.

4. A device for sharpening knives, comprising a holder having opposed arms normally disposed in spaced relation, rods constituting extensions of the respective arms and threadedly connected at one end to saidarms, relatively elongated sharpening stones rectangular in cross-section rotatably carried by the rods, said threaded connections comprising means for adjusting the freedom of rotation of the stones, means for inclining'the arms toward each other, whereby to cross the stones in'angular relation, and a flexible con nection extending between the arms, and adapted to prevent movement of the arms outwardly beyond a normal position.

' SIGMUND TARAPCZYNSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,018,985 Walsh Oct. 29, 1935 2,413,156 Tarapczynski Dec. 24, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 803,593 France Feb. 25, 1936 

